Google Chrome v Windows: Google takes swipe at Microsoft but which platform is best?

Tech giants Google and Microsoft continue to battle it out in the keenly-contested laptop market. The latest round sees Google launch an advert for its new Chromebook laptops by making a none-too subtle joke at the expense of Microsoft’s rival operating system. The promotion sees science commentator Bill Nye seemingly compare Windows 10 to an old car that is falling apart. Express.co.uk looks at whether Google Chromebook or Windows 10 offers the best laptop program.

Google Chromebooks continue to improve, with the latest generation offering a straightforward and paired-down experience

Google’s Chrome OS is extremely intuitive to use and is available in numerous laptops costing as little as £150 ($179).

Microsoft, however, also continues to improve via its regular Windows 10 update.

Tweaks to the evolving Start menu and the helpful Cortana assistant are just two examples of this.

Both Windows and Chrome OS have been compared them in several head-to-head tests to determine which OS is the best.

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Interface:

Windows 10 is a well-polished and finished operating system that feels more integrated and seamless than its predecessors.

The latest version of Chrome OS also has a slick interface, with an intelligent taskbar showing active apps and shortcuts to essential Google apps, including Google Docs, Drive and YouTube.

Even though Chrome OS is the weaker of the two for multitasking, Google’s offering is the more intuitive interface than Windows 10.

Apps and software:

All of this generation’s laptops require some basic programs to be fully functional, spanning productivity, photo and video editing and a basic browser.

And despite Windows laptops and Chromebooks both offering these, there is a lingering sense that Google’s OS remains a work in progress, despite recent improvements.

Microsoft claims that there are 669,000 apps in the Windows Store.

And while Chromebooks now offer Android apps for working offline, users can be hindered for what can be achieved without a signal.

READ MORE: ‘Irritating glitch’ hits some Windows 10 users

Photo and video editing:

Microsoft Windows 10 offers a dazzling array of photo-editing programs, supporting Photoshop among the rest of Adobe’s Creative Suite.

The web-based Chrome OS platform, meanwhile, offers basic editing options, such as Photoshop Express and Pixlr Editor.

Those editing films have multiple options for Windows, included Adobe Premiere Pro, while even the best Chromebooks are not quite as up to the task.

Web browsing:

Google Chrome boasts powerful, intuitive and unfussy interface, offering multiple extensions.

Those using a machine running Chrome OS should know there are no alternatives.

The Chrome OS browser cannot run Flash or other important plugins, such as Java, meaning users will almost inevitably face compatibility problems on certain websites and extensions.

Windows 10,in contrast, can run most other web browsers including Chrome, offering users the choice to search the internet how they wish.

File management:

Windows continues to offer a traditional and familiar folder of files, which appears in the simple File Explorer program.

Users are also able to save to your desktop, pin documents to the bar and create new folders with ease.

Chromebook users face the problem of being restricted to a smaller amount of space they are likely to have on their laptop’s hard drive.

This means users who love to hoard numerous media and files will want the local storage space provided by Windows 10.

source: express.co.uk